Louver assembly

ABSTRACT

A louver assembly for a building wall or the like, including inner blades which are spaced apart to provide longitudinal openings for ventilating the building, and outer blades which confront the longitudinal openings. A strip of wire mesh confronts each longitudinal opening and prevents ingress of extraneous material, such as debris and birds for example. Bracket means connects each outer blade directly to adjacent ones of the inner blades. The bracket means fixes the spacing between adjacent inner blades and the spacing between the inner blades and the outer blades.

United States Patent lnventor Oliver Dininno Baden, Pa. Appl. No. 883,936 Filed Dec. 10, 1969 Patented Dec. 7, 1971 Assignee H. 11. Robertson Company Pittsburgh, Pa.

LOUVER ASSEMBLY 9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 98/121, I 5 2/473 Int. Cl F24f 13/08 Field of Search 98/64, 66, 108, l2l;52/74, 198, 473

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/l935 Kannel 98/121 RX 3,303,622 2/1967 Minds, .lr 52/473 Primary Examiner-Meyer Perlin Assistant ExaminerW. C. Anderson AttorneyHarry B. Keck ABSTRACT: A louver assembly for a building wall or the like, including inner blades which are spaced apart to provide longitudinal openings for ventilating the building, and outer blades which confront the longitudinal openings. A strip of wire mesh confronts each longitudinal opening and prevents ingress of extraneous material, such as debris and birds for example. Bracket means connects each outer blade directly to adjacent ones of the inner blades. The bracket means fixes the spacing between adjacent inner blades and the spacing between the inner blades and the outer blades.

LOUVER ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention This invention relates to a fixed louver assembly of the type having alternating inner and outer blades, and more particularly to improved means for securing the outer blades to the inner blades in fixed spaced-apart relation therewith.

2. Description of the Prior Art Ornamental grilles or screens are commonly employed to cover ventilation openings as well as roof-mounted operating equipment, such as air conditioning equipment, elevator motors and the like. One common screen is known as a fixed-type louver assembly. Such an assembly comprises alternating inner and outer blades arranged in partially overlapped relation. See for example US. Pat. Nos. 3,004,307; 3,387,424. The louver assembly hides the structure behind it while providing spaces through which air can flow for ventilating, cooling and other purposes. To prevent ingress of extraneous matter, wire mesh material is provided over the entire inner face of the louver assembly.

In such prior an louver assemblies, the inner and outer blades are individually mounted directly to supporting structure, such as the structural framework of a building. When erecting such prior art louver assemblies, difficulty is encountered in positioning the blades (1) such that a selected fixed spacing is maintained between adjacent inner blades and between adjacent outer blades; and (2) such that a selected amount of overlap is provided between adjacent inner blades and the confronting outer blade.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved fixed-type louver assembly.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved bracket means by which each outer blade is connected directly to a pair of adjacent inner blades.

Still another object of this invention is to provide improved bracket means l which spaces the adjacent inner blades at a selected fixed distance; 2) which positions the confronting outer blade at a selected distance from the inner blades; and (3) which positions the outer blade relative to adjacent inner blades to obtain the selected amount of overlap therebetween.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved louver assembly which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and has improved structural integrity.

The present invention provides improvements in fixed-type louver assemblies of the type comprising alternating inner and outer blades wherein the inner blades are laterally spaced apart whereby the opposed longitudinal edges thereof define longitudinal slots, and wherein the outer blades extend parallel with the inner blades and confront the longitudinal openings.

In accordance with the present invention, bracket means is provided for connecting each of the outer blades directly to adjacent ones of the inner blades. The bracket means comprises the sole support for the outer blades. The bracket means fixes the space between adjacent inner blades; positions the outer blades at a selected distance from the inner blades; and positions the outer blades such that they overlap the inner blades by a selected amount.

Further in accordance with the present invention, strips of wire mesh are provided, each of which confronts one of the longitudinal openings and is secured to the adjacent inner blades.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a building incorporating the louver assembly of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation view, on an enlarged scale, of the wall of the building of FIG. I, further illustrating the louver assembly of this invention;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary isometric views illustrating an inner blade and an outer blade respectively;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the bracket means of this invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmentary isometric illustrations of the present louver assembly as viewed from the inside and from the outside of the building, respectively;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating alternative means for securing a strip of wire mesh to the inner blade.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a typical building 10 having a wall or outer sheath 11. A plurality of louver assemblies 12 of this invention, are provided in the outer sheath 11 and serve to admit fresh air into the building 10 and/or exhaust air from the interior of the building 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates the outer sheath 11 and the louver assembly 12 both secured to a building structural framework 13 of which only subgirts 14 are visible. The outer sheath 11 comprises a plurality of facing sheets 15 assembled in side-by-side overlapped relation and secured to the subgirts 14 by fasteners 16.

The facing sheets 15 may be corrugated. As shown in FIG. 8, the facing sheet 15 presents alternating crests l7 and valleys 18 and inclined sidewalls 19 connecting adjacent ones of the crests 17 and valleys 18. The crests 17 may be provided with a groove 20.

The louver assembly 12 has an exposed face and a hidden face which are identified by the letters E and H, respectively. in FIG. 8.

In general, the present louver assembly 12, as shown in FIG. 2, comprises alternating inner and outer blades 21, 22 respectively; bracket means 23 for securing the outer blades 22 to adjacent ones of the inner blades 21; and strips 24 of wire screen positioned between adjacent ones of the inner blades 21.

As shown in FIG. 3, the inner blade 21 may comprise a base portion 25 having outwardly diverging flanges 26 on opposite sides thereof. The flanges 26 present longitudinal edges 27, 28. The flanges 26 may be provided with pairs of openings 29 for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

The profile of the outer blade 22 corresponds to that of the facing sheets 15, as best shown in FIG. 8. The outer blades 22 (FIG. 4) may comprise a pan portion 30 provided with a central groove 31 and outwardly diverging side portions 32 on opposite sides of the pan portion 30. The side portions 32 are provided with terminal flanges 33 which present opposite longitudinal edges 54.

When the present louver assembly is erected, the inner and outer blades 21, 22 take the positions shown in FIG. 8. The opposed longitudinal edges 27, 28 of adjacent inner blades 21 are spaced apart by a lateral spacing indicated at 34 and define a longitudinal opening 35 through which fresh air passes into the building 10 and through which air may be exhausted from the building 10. The outer blades 22 confront the longitudinal openings 35 and are positioned with the pan portions 30 thereof outwardly spaced from the inner blades 21 by a selected distance indicated at 36 and with the opposite longitudinal edges 54 thereof presented inboard of the opposed longitudinal edges 27, 28 of adjacent inner blades 21. Moreover, the outer blades 22 overlap the inner blades 21 by a lateral distance indicated at 37. The overall arrangement is such that air enters and leaves the building 10 along circuitous path indicated by the two-way arrows 38. The strips 24 of wire mesh, confronting the longitudinal openings 35, prevent ingress of extraneous matter.

The profile of the outer blade 22 preferably corresponds with the profile of the crest 17 and inclined sidewalls 19 of the facing sheet 15. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, the outer blades 22 blend with the facing sheets 15. In the region of overlap, the outer blades 22 are essentially indistinguishable from the corresponding portions of the facing sheets 15. It will also be observed in FIG. 2 that the bracket means 23 are not visually discernible from the exterior face E of the louver assembly 12.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the bracket means 23 of this invention comprises a platelike main body 39 having inboard and outboard faces 40, 41 and wing portions 39a, 39b. Outwardly diverging legs 42 extend from the inboard face 40 and are engaged with the flanges 26 of adjacent facing sheets 21 (FIG. 6). Lugs 43 projecting from the inboard face 41, cooperate with the outwardly diverging legs 42 to provide spaced-apart recesses 44 which receive the opposed longitudinal edges 27, 28 (FIG. 6) of the adjacent inner blades 21. The outwardly diverging legs 42 may be provided with openings 45 (FIG. 5) to facilitate securement of the bracket means 23 to the flanges 26 of adjacent inner blades 21 by means of fasteners, such as rivets 46 (FIG. 6).

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 7, a terminal flange 47 is provided at each remote end of the wing portions 39a, 39b. The terminal flanges 47 engage the side portions 32 (FIG. 7) of the outer blade 22. The terminal flanges 47 may be provided with openings 48 (FIG. 5) to facilitate securement of the bracket means 23 to the outer blade 22 by fasteners, such as rivets 49 (FIG. 7). To stabilize the connection between the bracket means 23 and the outer blade 22, generally parallel spacing legs 50 extend from the outboard face 41 into engagement with the pan portion 30 (FIG. 7) ofthe outer blade 22.

It will be observed in FIG. 5, that the bracket means 23 is essentially symmetrical about an imaginary plane 53 which is normal to the platelike main body 39.

As shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, each of the inner blades 21 is secured to the subgirt 14 by plural fasteners 51. One method of erecting the present louver assembly 12 is as follows. A first inner blade 21 is secured to the subgirts 14 by the fasteners 51. A number of the bracket means 23 are secured to the flange 26 of the first inner blade 21 at spaced locations thereon and in the manner described above. Thereafter, a second inner blade 2] is erected by inserting a longitudinal edge of one of its flanges in the recess of the previously installed bracket means 23. That inner blade 21 is then secured to the subgirts 14 and to the bracket means 23. Note that the second inner blade 21 is now spaced from the first inner blade 21 by the selected lateral spacing 34 (FIG. 8). This sequence may be repeated until all of the inner blades 21 and the bracket means 23 have been installed. Thereafter, the outer blades 22 are engaged with the bracket means 23 and secured thereto in the manner described above. Alternatively, each outer blade 22 may be erected immediately after the bracket means 23 associated with an adjacent pair ofinner blades 21 have been installed.

As shown in FIG. 8, each strip 24 of wire mesh is disposed inboard of the opposed longitudinal edges 27, 28 and confronts the longitudinal opening 35. As shown in FIG. 6, each strip 24 of wire mesh is secured to the flanges 26 of the adjacent inner blades 21 by any suitable means, such as wires 52 which extend through the pair of openings 29 (FIG. 3) in the flanges 26 and through the strip 24. Alternatively, the strip 24 may be secured to the flanges 26 by clips 53 (only one illustrated) in the manner shown in FIG. 9.

The inner and outer blades 21, 22 may be formed from materials known as protected metal such materials including a sheet metal core having a thickness in the range of 18 to 22 gauge. The blades 21, 22 may also be formed from other suitable materials, such as aluminum, aluminized steel, galvanized steel, reinforced plastics and the like.

The bracket means 23 may be formed from aluminum by conventional extrusion processes.

I claim:

1. In a louver assembly having an exterior face and an interior face, said louver assembly comprising alternating inner and outer blades, wherein said inner blades are laterally spaced apart and present opposed longitudinal edges defining longitudinal openings, and wherein said outer blades extend parallel with said inner blades and confront said longitudinal openings,

the improvement comprising:

discrete bracket members, at least one presented at each of said longitudinal openings, each bracket member being secured to one of said outer blades and to a pair of adjacent inner blades;

fastener means for securing each of said bracket members to said one of said outer blades; and

fastener means for securing each of said bracket members to said pair of adjacent inner blades.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said bracket members comprise the sole support for said outer blades.

3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein each of said outer blades includes a pan portion and opposite side portions, and wherein each of said bracket members includes spacing legs extending outwardly into engagement with said pan portion thereby positioning said outer blade at a selected distance from said opposed longitudinal edges.

4. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein each outer blade includes opposite longitudinal edges, and wherein each of said bracket members supports the outer blade with the opposite longitudinal edges thereof presented inboard of the opposed longitudinal edges of adjacent inner blades.

5. The improvement define in claim 1 wherein each outer blade includes opposite longitudinal edges, and wherein each of said bracket members resides between said opposite lon gitudinal edges of the outer blades and is not visually discernible from said exterior face of said louver assembly.

6. The improvement of claim 1 including strips of wire screen, each confronting one of said longitudinal openings and being substantially coextensive in length therewith.

7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein said strips of wire screen are positioned inboard of said longitudinal openings and are secured to the adjacent ones of said inner blades.

8. The improvement ofclaim 1 wherein each of said bracket members includes laterally spaced-apart recesses on an inboard face thereof, each engaged by one of said opposed longitudinal edges of adjacent inner blades, whereby each of said bracket members fixes the spacing between adjacent ones of said outer blades.

9. The improvement of claim 5 wherein each of said outer blades present opposite side portions and wherein each of said bracket members includes terminal flanges, each secured to one of said opposite side portions, said terminal flanges being positioned on up posite sides of said recesses and thereby maintaining said outer blade centered with respect to said longitudinal opening and in confronting relation therewith. 

1. In a louver assembly having an exterior face and an interior face, said louver assembly comprising alternating inner and outer blades, wherein said inner blades are laterally spaced apart and present opposed longitudinal edges defining longitudinal openings, and wherein said outer blades extend parallel with said inner blades and confront said longitudinal openings, the improvement comprising: discrete bracket members, at least one presented at each of said longitudinal openings, each bracket member being secured to one of said outer blades and to a pair of adjacent inner blades; fastener means for securing each of said bracket members to said one of said outer blades; and fastener means for securing each of said bracket members to said pair of adjacent inner blades.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said bracket members comprise the sole support for said outer blades.
 3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein each of said outer blades includes a pan portion and opposite side portions, and wherein each of said bracket members includes spacing legs extending outwardly into engagement with said pan portion thereby positioning said outer blade at a selected distance from said opposed longitudinal edges.
 4. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein each outer blade includes opposite longitudinal edges, and wherein each of said bracket members supports the outer blade with the opposite longitudinal edges thereof presented inboard of the opposed longitudinal edges of adjacent inner blades.
 5. The improvement define in claim 1 wherein each outer blade includes opposite longitudinal edges, and wherein each of said bracket members resides between said opposite longitudinal edges of the outer blades and is not visually discernible from said exterior face of said louver assembly.
 6. The improvement of claim 1 including strips of wire screen, each confronting one of said longitudinal openings and being substantially coextensive in length therewith.
 7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein said strips of wire screen are positioned inboard of said longitudinal openings and are secured to the adjacent ones of said inner blades.
 8. The improvement of claim 1 wherein each of said bracket members includes laterally spaced-apart recesses on an inboard face thereof, each engaged by one of said opposed longitudinal edges of adjacent inner blades, whereby each of said bracket members fixes the spacing between adjacent ones of said outer blades.
 9. The improvement of claim 5 wherein each of said outer blades present opposite side portions and wherein each of said bracket members includes terminal flanges, each secured to one of said opposite side portions, said terminal flanges being positioned on opposite sides of said recesses and thereby maintaining said outer blade centered with respect to said longitudinal opening and in confronting relation therewith. 